‘Thunderbirds Are Go!’: ITV Studios To Reboot Classic Series

The UK’s ITV Studios is teaming with New Zealand-based Pukeko Pictures and Weta Workshop to co-produce Thunderbirds Are Go!, an update of the classic kids series that debuted in 1965. Twenty-six half hours have been ordered for air on ITV and CITV in the UK in 2015. The original Thunderbirds was created by Gerry Anderson, who passed away in December. Although it aired for just two seasons on ITV in the 60s, it became an international sensation. In syndication, the high-tech tales of adventurers rocketing around the world to fight evil-doers became a staple of Saturday morning and weekday afternoon programming in the U.S. The series also spawned feature films and inspired South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker’s Team America: World Police.

The new series will be produced using a unique mix of CGI animation and live-action model sets while also paying tribute to the legacy of model locations from Anderson’s original. Thunderbirds Are Go! will see the return of the five brave Tracy brothers as they pilot their incredible vehicles into impossible rescues across the globe. Estelle Hughes is exec producing for ITV Studios, Giles Ridge for ITV Studios Global Entertainment and Richard Taylor and Andrew Smith for Pukeko Pictures. Rob Hoegee (Generator Rex, Slugterra) is head writer. ITV’s Denise O Donoghue said today, “Thunderbirds is a highly respected brand that continues to hold recognition around the world. This cult series is often credited as changing the history of animation and action-adventure, and we look forward to taking the show to another level while retaining the much-loved heritage that has endured over the past fifty years.” ITVSGE will handle worldwide rights for the new series.

by Anonymous

reply 12

02/04/2013

.

by Anonymous

reply 1

02/04/2013

Just a generation ago cartoons were for children. Men did not care about cartoons, they had adult things to do. You also never saw a guy over eighteen ride a skateboard, now you see men who look to be thirty years old doing it.

Is it the plastics in the soda bottles, or are American men less inclined to grow up these days?

by Anonymous

reply 2

02/04/2013

I thought shows had to have at least 100 episodes before syndication?

by Anonymous

reply 3

02/04/2013

r3, it's the UK. I bet BBC's Sherlock has syndication status already with its two seasons (which have only three episodes each).

by Anonymous

reply 4

02/04/2013

I certainly hope that the Lady Penelope character will be updated to something more representative of 21st century women.

by Anonymous

reply 5

02/04/2013

r2 is on some heavy crack.

by Anonymous

reply 6

02/04/2013

"Oh, Parker..."

"Yes...m'lady?"

"Take off my boots."

"Your b-boots, m'lady?"

"Yes, Parker, my boots. And Parker..?"

"Yes...m-m'lady?"

"Take off my dress."

"You-your d-d-dress, m'lady?"

"Yes, Parker, my dress."

"Y-yes, m'lady."

"Parker?"

"Yes, m-m'lady?"

"Take off my brassiere."

"Y-your b-b-b-brassiere, m'lady??"

"Yes, Parker, my brassiere. And Parker?"

"Y-y-yes, m-m-m-m'lady?"

"Please don't wear them again."

by Anonymous

reply 7

02/04/2013

They brought back Captain Scarlet and that was OK BUT Thunderbirds? The Thunderbirds film sucked. I was very dissapointed by that.The CGI on Captain scarlet was good so hopefully the CGI on this one will be OK.

by Anonymous

reply 8

02/04/2013

"Just a generation ago cartoons were for children. Men did not care about cartoons, they had adult things to do. You also never saw a guy over eighteen ride a skateboard"

Yes, in the good old days men were men, and drove their gas-guzzlers everywhere and died of heart attacks at fifty, like manly men should!

Seriously, why is this movie being made? It's not like "Speed Racer" burned up the box office.

by Anonymous

reply 9

02/04/2013

er...R9...honey? Reading comprehension much? They are not making a film, they rebooting the series, as in the title of the thread "ITV Studios to Reboot Classic Series".

by Anonymous

reply 10

02/04/2013

They are all too old now, but I thought it would be fun to do a live version (not the shitty one they did a few years ago) but with George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon as the sons. Burt Reynolds as the father, Julia Roberts as Tin-Tin, and Nicole Kidman as Lady Penelope.

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